


Apple Juice

by TheGoodDoctor



Series: Group Targets [13]
Category: James Bond (Craig movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Hospital, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-13
Updated: 2016-10-13
Packaged: 2018-08-22 06:27:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,804
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8276009
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheGoodDoctor/pseuds/TheGoodDoctor
Summary: "How are you feeling?”Q cracks open at eye to glare at his friend. “Like I got hit by a car.”“What a coincidence,” Gareth says dryly, leaning back in his seat.





	

Q comes to with a groan and a splitting headache. “Ugh,” he says, slamming his eyes shut against the fluorescent lights above him.

Gareth laughs softly. “Yeah, thought you might do that. How are you feeling?”

Q cracks open at eye to glare at his friend. “Like I got hit by a car.”

“What a coincidence,” Gareth says dryly, leaning back in his seat. “For those who haven't had that joy yet, care to share?”

Q closes his eyes and takes mental stock of how he feels. _Not great_. “Ribs hurt, so breathing’s fun.”

“They're broken,” Gareth supplies helpfully.

“Headache.”

“Concussion.”

“Right hip and upper thigh.”

“The bones shattered.”

“Lower back?”

Gareth tilts his head. “Either the fractured pelvis or your bruised kidneys and liver.”

Q frowns. “Kidneys, I think.”

The door open and Eve enters, holding two paper coffee cups. “Q! You're awake!” she gasps, dropping the cups and rushing to the bedside. Behind her, Bill's hands shoot out almost before he can stop them and grasp the cups in mid-air, sloshing scalding coffee over his hands.

As Eve fusses by Q’s head, he and Gareth unsuccessfully hold back laughter as Bill whimpers softly. Unfortunately, this is rather painful on Q’s ribs and he has to close his eyes, wincing. “Good to see you awake, Q. Gareth, take these hell-cups, I'm going to the burn unit.” Bill holds his pink hands out in front of him and backs out of the room again.

“Are you okay?” Eve says, and Q feels like making a stupid comment until he sees the real fear in her eyes.

He tangles his fingers and IV with her fingers and squeezes. “I'll be fine before you know it.” Eve rests her head on his bed by his side and sighs deeply. Behind her, Q can now see the room’s other occupant; a heavily-bandaged man who appears to still be asleep. “How long have I been out?” he asks, tearing his eyes away from the other man with some difficulty.

“Three days,” Bill says, shaking water from his less-reddened hands as he comes back in.

“Bill, did you hold your hands under running water for ten minutes as you should with burns?” Eve says, narrowing her eyes at him.

“So you did notice the sacrifice I made for your coffee.” Bill raises an eyebrow. “Of course I did,” he says. He is definitely lying and Gareth and Q grin at each other, but Eve relents and allows him to sit at the foot of Q’s bed.

“What happened while I was asleep?”

“Do you remember the accident?” Gareth asks, and Q shakes his head slightly. “You were driving to Bill’s and a car swung out of a side road and into the back-right corner of your car. We don't know why it happened yet, but he could have been drunk.”

“You were brought here,” Bill continues. “They did quite a bit of surgery to put you back together, until there was nothing to do but sleep it off.”

Q nods, slowly, absorbing this information. Then he narrows his eyes at his three friends, analysing them carefully. “Have you been home since the accident?”

They look shiftily at each other and Q frowns.

“Go home and sleep. And bring me something to do, damn it.”

* * *

The man is awake when Q next stirs. Worse, he's watching some stupid reality show on their shared TV. Q sniffs and opens his book. He's only able to get a paragraph in, though, before one of the women on TV screams and squeals and his focus is lost. Q sighs and tries again, this time making it a whole chapter before he is distracted; or at least, he thinks he does, but when he goes back to reading he finds that he can recall none of the last chapter and must start it again.

Q snaps his book shut. “Do you mind turning that off?” he says crossly. “Some of us have better things to do than listen to your trashy rubbish.”

The man turns startling blue eyes on him and picks up the remote, staring him straight in the eye as he cranks the volume louder and louder.

Q purses his lips and turns back to his book, trying unsuccessfully to focus on it. His attention is always held by the screen, although the other man doesn't seem to notice. His cover is almost blown when he snorts softly at one of the jokes, but he buries his nose in his book before the other man looks over.

Consequently, he misses the other man’s soft, knowing smile.

* * *

Q is woken in the middle of his nap by something landing softly on his stomach. He blinks awake, pushing his glasses onto his face and looking across to the other man. “What?” he says irritably.

He gestures to the screen. “It's your favourite show. Didn't want you to miss out.”

Q looks to the screen, and then back to the man’s shit-eating grin. It's the same program that kept him from his book the day before. He picks up the crumpled piece of paper that had been thrown and hurls it back, bouncing it off the other’s temple. The other man counters and this continues until there are snowdrifts of crumpled paper covering the floor and beds.

“Take that!” Q declares, having much more fun than he would ever admit.

The paper projectile land neatly in the man's hand and he lobs it back. A gust of wind from the open window blows it wildly off-course and, as the door opens, it bounces off Bill’s head. There is silence and a unanimous cease-fire as Bill surveys the carnage, shakes his head and leaves again without saying a word.

Q looks at the other man and they break into uncontrollable and somewhat painful giggles. “I’m James,” he says.

“Q.”

* * *

James is fast asleep and snoring when the others next visit Q. “Are you feeling any better?” Eve says.

“Yeah, I suppose.” Q shrugs. “Not about to up and leave yet.” He looks back at James and they catch the look.

“Making friends?” Eve smiles.

Q rolls his eyes. “I think he's lonely. He doesn't get any visitors.”

Bill frowns. “That's terrible. Do you know anything about him?”

Gareth stands suddenly. “I do,” he says blackly. “He broke your fucking ribs.”

* * *

Q persuaded one of the nurses to give him the remote and, checking the time, turns the TV on. He slowly increases the volume until James rolls over and glares blearily at him. “Whuh?”

Q gestures graciously to the screen.

James’ face breaks into a grin. “Knew you liked it.” The show’s theme music runs it's usual infuriating, eternal, cheery jingle.

Q snorts. “Not at all. The nurse promised me the good painkillers if I was nice to you.”

James settles into the pillows with a smile.

* * *

Q yawns and shakes his head at the screen. “He's a fucking idiot.”

“Remind you of anyone you know?” James responds idly.

“How self-aware of you, James. Who knew you had it in you.” Q eats another spoonful of the savoury, porridge-like gunk that was promised to cure him of all ills and stretches. “Ow,” he moans as his ribs object to the movement.

James goes quiet and looks guiltily at his own food.

“So,” Q says, still looking at the screen. “What happened?”

James doesn't respond at first. “I was drunk. As all hell,” he says simply, at last. “Never been that pissed before. I didn't think anyone would be on the roads; thought I'd only be killing myself, so it'd be fine.” Q glares at him. “Yeah, I know, I was stupid and you got hurt.”

“And killing yourself would not be _fine_ ,” Q snaps. James looks at him, stunned. “Well,” Q says caustically, “I'm glad we're both here for such _excellent_ reasons.”

James rolls over and shows his back to him.

Q rolls his eyes. “I know you aren't asleep, no-one can sleep through this.” He doesn't respond. Q sighs and folds his arms over his mostly-healed chest.

* * *

When Q wakes again, James isn't there, but Bill and Gareth are. “Where’s James?”

Bill shrugs. “We don't know. Maybe he got discharged.”

Q shakes his head. “He's not well enough. Can you call a nurse?” Gareth frowns. “ _Please?_ ”

Bill nods and heads out to find someone. “Why do you care so much?” Gareth says. “He put you in hospital.”

“He was drunk.”

“If anything that's worse,” Gareth says, folding his arms.

Bill returns. “He's not been discharged; he's just gone.” Q sits up and tries to get up. “Lie down and stay there. I will set a watch if I have to.”

Q does so reluctantly. “We had a fight. He might get hurt, or drink.”

“Okay.” Bill nods. “I'll call Eve, and we'll all go looking for him.” Gareth makes a face. “ _All_ of us.”

* * *

Gareth settles on the stool at the bar. “I hope you haven't had any of that,” he says mildly. “It could be messy when it hits your medication.”

James swirls the amber liquid in the glass thoughtfully. He tilts the rim at Gareth. “Apple juice,” he explains. “I'm hoping it's near enough as makes no difference, you know? Hoped I was stupid enough not to notice.”

Gareth looks around him and huffs. “Yeah, sure. Are you _reformed_ now?”

James glares at him. “Look. I've admitted I'm stupid, what do you want?”

“I want a lot of things, Bond. I want a holiday, I want a nice car, I want my friend to be out of hospital and not seriously injured for the rest of his life.” James looks away guiltily at this. “But you know what I really want, Bond?” Gareth says, leaning in close. “I want you to go back to hospital, take your medication and get better, damn you, because my idiot friend has decided he _likes_ you. Against my advice, I might add.”

James huffs a laugh. “I don't think liking someone works like that.”

“You'd know, would you?” Gareth says.

James looks down into his glass. “Yeah, I suppose.” He downs the juice and pushes the glass towards the barman. James stands and Gareth does too, at least an inch taller than him. He looks down at James and they stare each other out. James folds first, slinking guiltily towards the door.

* * *

“ _Where the hell were you?_ ”

Gareth throws up his hands. “I thought you'd be _pleased_.”

James grins embarrassedly. “I went out. I needed a break.”

“That really isn't how hospital works, James.” Q folds his arms crossly. “I was - _worried_ about you.”

James kneels awkwardly at the head of his bed. “I am sorry,” he says sincerely.

Q presses his forehead to James’. “Don't leave my sight again.”

“I won't,” James says, and kisses him.


End file.
